Written By Katie Jeromson
The scene was set for a battle of epic proportions at the London ExCel, with all three championship contenders lining up within the top four. On pole position, Nick Cassidy, thanks to the three pole position points, started four points from the lead of the championship.
Teammate and championship contender Mitch Evans lined up third, Max Gunther between himself and Cassidy. The current championship leader, Pascal Wehrlein, started from fourth.
As the lights went out it was an epic start for the Jaguar drivers, Cassidy getting away well and Evans up to second, leapfrogging Gunther. Evans stuck to the back of his team mate closely, not willing to let him get away, whilst Wehrlein couldn’t make up any places.
The race was quickly neutralised though, as Edoardo Mortara tried to come down the inside of Jake Dennis and both ended in the barrier.
Cassidy dedicated the pace of the restart but Evans was not willing to be left behind, hustling the driver in front along. Wanting to get the job done, Evans looked for a move on the outside of Cassidy but the door was shut in his face. Behind, Wehrlein swept around the inside of Gunther and came up to third, before once again the race was neutralised by a safety car.
A whole tangle of drivers found themselves caught up in this one, Sam Bird, Dan Ticktum, Norman Nato and Jehan Daruvala. It was the McLaren of Sam Bird that was out of the race and needing recovery.
Once the restart happened, the championship race really got underway. Cassidy took attack mode, with Evans playing the team game, helping back the pack up. Caissdy then retained the lead and the mood changed in the second Jaguar car. A fuming Evans as he felt team weren’t playing for him, as he should be taking the lead here, so that he could replicate the attack zone move. Over the radio we heard a defiant “Gloves are off” from Evans.
The team game had been set aside and when Cassidy took his second attack mode, both Evans and Wehrlein made it in front. Evans now had to try and fend off a hunting Wehrlein, was a repeat of yesterday on the cards?
On lap 20 there was a late lunge by Wehrlein, but Evans cut it off, making his competitor launch over the turn one kerb. Evans did find himself with a warning for moving under braking and later a black and white flag for the same thing. Evans claimed on the radio that he was moving before lifting, but the flag nonetheless stood.
Wehrlein was managing energy better than both Jaguars and so Evans began to slow the pack down, trying to gain back some energy. However the fight in the chasing pack had been fierce and the likes of Oliver Rowland, Antonio Felix Da Costa, Jean-Eric Vergne and Max Gunther were now in the chase. As things heat up Gunther makes contact with the back of Cassidy and the championship contender gets a puncture, sending him into the pits and decimating his race.
Suspecting a safety car, both Evans and Wehrlein tried to use an attack mode but just as they tried to deploy, a safety car for debris was called. In the attempt to do this though, Rowland snuck through and stole the lead. There was an investigation launched into whether Rowland overtook Evans under safety car conditions, so he preemptively gave this place back.
When normal racing resumed, both Evans and Wehrlein were quick to take their attack mode, giving Rowland the race lead once more. Wehrlein was looking like he was about to be taken by Sebatien Buemi but teammate Da Costa provided ample protection.
Meanwhile, down in 17th an irate Cassidy was on the radio, demanding for someone to “just say I’m sorry, I `f****d up.” Cassidy soon after retired from the race, his championship dream gone.
As the race was nearing the closing stages, the two remaining contenders were embroiled in a battle for the ages, but both still had an attack mode to take. They dive for it at the same time, but disaster for Evans as he misses the zone, he has to take it and use it all by the end of the race or be disqualified!
Evans is forced to take his attack mode and Wehrlein is able to move past. Then to add insult to injury, Evans has to slow the pack down, so that the full attack mode is used before crossing the line. In missing the attack mode, Pascal Wehrlein was handed second place and became the 2024 Formula E World Champion.
Speaking in the driver’s press conference, Evans admitted that although Jaguar did seal the Constructors championship, it “leaves a bitter taste.” The hurt really being that the championship really was there for the taking today. Team Principal James Barclay said “for Mitch and Nick I’m gutted,” but is incredibly happy and proud of the team for taking Jaguar’s first World Championship since 1991.
Race winner Rowland told the press that he never would have believed this at the start of the year and that he really didn’t want to get tangled with the championship contenders today. Also great that after having to miss races, Rowland said “I don’t have any regrets.”
The weekend couldn’t have gone much better, for the new Formula E World Champion Pascal Wehrlein.
He led more laps than any other driver this season and in his own words, this weekend he had to “try to outperform the car” in order to seal his fate. Whilst he hailed the moment as “pretty special,” it was a touching moment when he reminded the press “the best thing in my life is my daughter and my family.”
Whilst there will be many questions about what could have been today, there is one thing certain. Pascal Wehrlein, you are a World Champion.
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